The United States Department of Commerce is close to signing off on a new rule that would allow US companies to work with China’s Huawei Technologies on setting standards for next generation 5G networks, reported Reuters.
Engineers in some US technology companies stopped engaging with Huawei to develop standards after the Commerce Department blacklisted the company last year. The listing left companies uncertain about what technology and information their employees could share with Huawei, the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker.
After nearly a year of uncertainty, the department has drafted a new rule to address the issue, said Reuters sources. The rule essentially allows US companies to participate in standards bodies where Huawei is also a member, the sources said. The draft is under final review at the Commerce Department and, if cleared, would go to other agencies for approval.
“As we approach the year mark, it is very much past time that this be addressed and clarified,” said Naomi Wilson, senior director of policy for Asia at the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), which represents companies including Amazon, Qualcomm and Intel.
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